New owner has big plans for former Vinery farm

Ian Brennan, trainer of the Stonestreet Training and Rehabilitation Center in Summerfield, FL, visits with Rachel Alexandra's full sister Samantha Nicole while giving a tour of the farm Thursday morning.

Doug Engle/Ocala Star-Banner

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

Published: Friday, July 19, 2013 at 6:09 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 19, 2013 at 6:09 p.m.

When one of the country's top training centers was put up for sale last year, it seemed only logical that one of its biggest clients, Stonestreet — a prestigious Kentucky breeding and racing operation — should buy the 230-acre farm.

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Stonestreet's Barbara Banke was sending dozens of her race horses to Vinery farm in Summerfield every year for training or rehabilitation, and it had paid off. Vinery trained Stonestreet's first homebred Eclipse Award winner, My Miss Aurelia.

So in December, Banke bought the center for $6.6 million, renaming the 230-acree facility Stonestreet Training and Rehabilitation Center.

And while she plans some changes to the operation, she has retained trainer Ian Brennan, who worked for Vinery and has trained dozens of graded stakes winners on the property over the years, as well as most of the other staff.

"The transaction was smooth," Brennan said. "One or two of the stallion guys are gone, but everybody else stayed."

Brennan trained this year's Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow for Calumet Farm when the center was still Vinery. Oxbow and My Miss Aurelia are just two of more than a dozen Grade 1 winners trained or rehabilitated on the property. Dozens more graduates of the center have won lower-level graded stakes races worth many millions of dollars in purses.

One of the biggest changes to the farm is the mothballing of Vinery's breeding operation.

"This facility complements everything that they are doing. Now, they own the whole program. They got the farm in Kentucky where they breed and raise yearlings. They have control of their yearlings and 2-year-olds. For them, it made a lot of sense," Brennan said. "They are not considering breeding on the farm at this time."

Stonestreet was established by Jess Jackson, founder of Kendall-Jackson wines, in the 1970s. He died in 2011 and Banke, his widow, has continued the racing business.

The operation was named top yearling breeder in 2010 and has raced some of the sport's more popular racehorses in recent times, including $10.5 million earner and 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year Curlin and 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

While the transition was smooth, the property is undergoing some updates. An estimated 10 miles of board fence and posts will be replaced. The job will take weeks to complete.

"The farm has been here probably nine years and the fence hasn't been touched since that time," Brennan said.

A jogging ring, where the horses warm up before they are taken onto the track, is being refurbished with a new synthetic surface. The grandstand, which overlooks the 7/8-mile track, also will be expanded.

While the facility houses between 40 and 50 Stonestreet horses, another 40 horses will come from other owners, including Calumet Farm and Fox Hill Farm.

"Last year we had way too many horses. We had about 160. My goal this year is to have about 90," Brennan said.

The move away from breeding on the property is another sign of the evolution of the industry in Ocala. While some large breeding farms have closed or moved away in recent years, the training industry has continued to grow.

Two-year-old thoroughbred training, in particular, is doing well thanks to the area's weather.

"It's the capital of training, especially in the winter. You don't miss much training down here and you have all the racing down south in the winter," Brennan said.

The old stallion barn will be used as a quarantine area for horses being shipped out of the country or for special horses.

At least two of those special horses were on the property on Thursday.

My Miss Aurelia, the 2-year-old female Eclipse champion of 2011, was taking a break from racing at her old training grounds.

The Stonestreet-bred daughter of Smart Strike was sent to the facility after a disappointing third-place finish in the Azeri Stakes in March. She won her first six career races but has not fared as well in her last three.

"She was sent down here for some freshening. She's been doing great," Brennan said.

The filly will put in a workout, known as a breeze, on Tuesday and Banke is scheduled to come into town to watch.

"Our goal for her is to get back to the Breeders' Cup," Brennan said, referring to the Grade 1 Ladies' Classic in November at Santa Anita Park in California.

My Miss Aurelia finished second in the 2012 edition, where she was beaten by Royal Delta. Royal Delta is owned by Ocala's Besilu Stables and was the eventual 2012 Eclipse champion older female horse.

Rachel Alexandra's full sister is also training for her first start.

The 2-year-old Samantha Nicole, who is by Medaglia d'Oro and out of Lotta Kim, casts a similar shadow to her famous sister. She's already a big specimen with a powerful neck. She will get to show off her training soon when she enters her first race.

Rachel Alexandra beat males to win the Preakness and other top-level, male-dominated races in 2009.

Her off the track rivalry with fellow filly Zenyatta for Horse of the Year captivated even casual race fans. A race where the pair would face one another was pushed, but never happened.

Brennan hopes to build on Vinery's legacy with Stonestreet's continued focus on top-level training and rehabilitation.

"This is the place to be. Horses love it here in Ocala. They do well here," he said.

<p>When one of the country's top training centers was put up for sale last year, it seemed only logical that one of its biggest clients, Stonestreet — a prestigious Kentucky breeding and racing operation — should buy the 230-acre farm.</p><p>Stonestreet's Barbara Banke was sending dozens of her race horses to Vinery farm in Summerfield every year for training or rehabilitation, and it had paid off. Vinery trained Stonestreet's first homebred Eclipse Award winner, My Miss Aurelia.</p><p>So in December, Banke bought the center for $6.6 million, renaming the 230-acree facility Stonestreet Training and Rehabilitation Center.</p><p>And while she plans some changes to the operation, she has retained trainer Ian Brennan, who worked for Vinery and has trained dozens of graded stakes winners on the property over the years, as well as most of the other staff.</p><p>"The transaction was smooth," Brennan said. "One or two of the stallion guys are gone, but everybody else stayed."</p><p>Brennan trained this year's Preakness Stakes winner Oxbow for Calumet Farm when the center was still Vinery. Oxbow and My Miss Aurelia are just two of more than a dozen Grade 1 winners trained or rehabilitated on the property. Dozens more graduates of the center have won lower-level graded stakes races worth many millions of dollars in purses.</p><p>One of the biggest changes to the farm is the mothballing of Vinery's breeding operation.</p><p>"This facility complements everything that they are doing. Now, they own the whole program. They got the farm in Kentucky where they breed and raise yearlings. They have control of their yearlings and 2-year-olds. For them, it made a lot of sense," Brennan said. "They are not considering breeding on the farm at this time."</p><p>Stonestreet was established by Jess Jackson, founder of Kendall-Jackson wines, in the 1970s. He died in 2011 and Banke, his widow, has continued the racing business.</p><p>The operation was named top yearling breeder in 2010 and has raced some of the sport's more popular racehorses in recent times, including $10.5 million earner and 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year Curlin and 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.</p><p>While the transition was smooth, the property is undergoing some updates. An estimated 10 miles of board fence and posts will be replaced. The job will take weeks to complete.</p><p>"The farm has been here probably nine years and the fence hasn't been touched since that time," Brennan said.</p><p>A jogging ring, where the horses warm up before they are taken onto the track, is being refurbished with a new synthetic surface. The grandstand, which overlooks the 7/8-mile track, also will be expanded.</p><p>While the facility houses between 40 and 50 Stonestreet horses, another 40 horses will come from other owners, including Calumet Farm and Fox Hill Farm.</p><p>"Last year we had way too many horses. We had about 160. My goal this year is to have about 90," Brennan said.</p><p>The move away from breeding on the property is another sign of the evolution of the industry in Ocala. While some large breeding farms have closed or moved away in recent years, the training industry has continued to grow.</p><p>Two-year-old thoroughbred training, in particular, is doing well thanks to the area's weather.</p><p>"It's the capital of training, especially in the winter. You don't miss much training down here and you have all the racing down south in the winter," Brennan said.</p><p>The old stallion barn will be used as a quarantine area for horses being shipped out of the country or for special horses.</p><p>At least two of those special horses were on the property on Thursday.</p><p>My Miss Aurelia, the 2-year-old female Eclipse champion of 2011, was taking a break from racing at her old training grounds.</p><p>The Stonestreet-bred daughter of Smart Strike was sent to the facility after a disappointing third-place finish in the Azeri Stakes in March. She won her first six career races but has not fared as well in her last three.</p><p>"She was sent down here for some freshening. She's been doing great," Brennan said.</p><p>The filly will put in a workout, known as a breeze, on Tuesday and Banke is scheduled to come into town to watch.</p><p>"Our goal for her is to get back to the Breeders' Cup," Brennan said, referring to the Grade 1 Ladies' Classic in November at Santa Anita Park in California.</p><p>My Miss Aurelia finished second in the 2012 edition, where she was beaten by Royal Delta. Royal Delta is owned by Ocala's Besilu Stables and was the eventual 2012 Eclipse champion older female horse.</p><p>Rachel Alexandra's full sister is also training for her first start.</p><p>The 2-year-old Samantha Nicole, who is by Medaglia d'Oro and out of Lotta Kim, casts a similar shadow to her famous sister. She's already a big specimen with a powerful neck. She will get to show off her training soon when she enters her first race.</p><p>Rachel Alexandra beat males to win the Preakness and other top-level, male-dominated races in 2009.</p><p>Her off the track rivalry with fellow filly Zenyatta for Horse of the Year captivated even casual race fans. A race where the pair would face one another was pushed, but never happened.</p><p>Brennan hopes to build on Vinery's legacy with Stonestreet's continued focus on top-level training and rehabilitation.</p><p>"This is the place to be. Horses love it here in Ocala. They do well here," he said.</p>